parlour boarder
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A pupil at a boarding- school who lives with the principal and re- ceives extra care and attention. Hence, used of one in a privileged position.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “parlour boarder” mean?
A pupil at a boarding- school who lives with the principal and re- ceives extra care and attention. Hence, used of one in a privileged position.
Is “parlour boarder” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.